Chapter 148 Albino's Betrayal
"Inform on someone?"
I hid my surprise and glanced calmly at the dark, heavy sky in the distance.
"Come in." I turned and walked into the living room.
Cole and Adrian kept their guns raised. I sat on the sofa watching Albino and the boy slowly approach, noticing the boy was lame—something was wrong with his right foot.
I showed no unusual expression, gestured for them to sit down, offered Albino bottled water, and gave the boy packaged juice.
Albino's eyes flickered slightly. Seeing the boy staring at the juice, he touched the plastic seal on the cap, tore it open, unscrewed the cap, took a sip himself first, and after a moment, handed it to the boy.
The boy didn't mind at all that Albino had drunk from it. He eagerly took a sip, then widened his eyes, swallowed hard, and broke into a silly grin.
"Thank you," Albino said coldly.
I waved my hand. "Tell me what you want."
Albino got straight to the point without preamble. "Although we've been supported by Amelia these past few years, her mother Michelle has always known about our existence."
Just as I thought.
Without Michelle, Clarence would have swindled all of Amelia's money long ago. Why would he follow Amelia's orders?
"Michelle wants to kill you, or Brian, or Marcus. She ordered Clarence to eliminate one of you before you leave for Dawnharbor," Albino said. "That's the secret I wanted to tell you."
Murderous intent rose in my heart, but I quickly calmed down.
Michelle wanted to stop us from going to Dawnharbor—she probably didn't want to see us participate in the hunting competition.
Albino said flatly, "I can go back undercover and tell you Clarence's whereabouts."
I glanced at the boy beside him. "Why would you betray Clarence and Michelle?"
Following my gaze, Albino turned to look at the boy who had accidentally spilled some juice and was now licking his hand. He skillfully pulled out a pack of wet wipes and roughly but efficiently wiped the boy's hands while answering me,
"His name is Bruce. He's my half-brother. My father was also a doctor. He once ran a clinic in Silverpine Town. He had an affair with a prostitute, abandoned my mother, and married that filthy woman. That woman was vicious—kind to my face, but when my father wasn't around, she abused me. I endured it for over ten years. Then one day, I stopped enduring it—I killed that woman."
"My father used to praise that woman's beautiful hands, so I cut off her hands and brought them back to him. He was so scared he had a stroke and became paralyzed. I took pity on him, so I cut that woman's body into dozens of pieces and sent him one piece every few days. Until he died."
"My only remaining family was my mother. After she left my father, she met several men who all treated her badly. They took the money she worked so hard to earn and made her give birth to this idiot."
When Albino said "idiot," his smile was mocking, but his eyes were desolate.
I didn't interrupt him and kept listening.
"When Bruce was born, aside from being a bit slow and having trouble speaking, his hands and feet were fine. But Clarence heard about my story and wanted to recruit me. I refused. What I didn't expect was that the bitch still had a lover. While I was away, her lover broke into my house, smashed everything, killed my mother, and Bruce's foot was stomped on and broken. If Clarence hadn't arrived in time, Bruce would have died."
Albino fell silent for a moment.
He didn't have deep feelings for Bruce—it was only because his mother made him promise on her deathbed to take care of Bruce that he'd kept this burden with him.
Bruce suddenly cried out unhappily, "I'm not an idiot! I'm not!"
Albino ignored him, looked at me, and continued, "I lost my last attachment and agreed to join them after Clarence persuaded me. Until recently, when he cut off one of my hands to apologize to you, I overheard one of his trusted men let something slip—the man who killed my mother back then was Clarence himself!"
Intense hatred blazed in Albino's eyes.
All these years, he'd been working for his enemy!
"I understand." I nodded, feeling somewhat moved. "What are your plans now?"
Albino looked at me frankly. "I'll kill Clarence, but I can't guarantee I can kill all the remaining assassins in the organization. Please send people to help me. I have no other conditions—I only hope you can take care of Bruce."
"Aren't you afraid I'll agree but then treat Bruce badly?" I asked.
"I've heard of the Sorelli family's reputation. You're kind to your own people. The families of those who fought alongside you and died are given compensation, orphans are cared for, and the elderly are supported." Albino said calmly. "Raising one more child is no burden to you. Bruce is easy to care for—just give him food. You wouldn't want to ruin the Sorelli family's reputation."
I smiled. Albino had only brought Bruce's luggage—he'd probably planned from the start to entrust Bruce to me.
By asking me to care for Bruce, he was also voluntarily giving me a hostage to prove his loyalty.
Albino stood up, knelt on one knee, and bowed his head to me. "I swear my loyalty to you. Please give me a chance."
I didn't agree immediately.
Albino probably wasn't lying, but he definitely hadn't told me the whole truth.
As I pondered, Albino maintained his kneeling position, motionless, very patient and very devout.
"Did you kill Santos?" I asked.
Albino answered, "Yes. Santos discovered our relationship with Michelle and Amelia. Michelle ordered him killed."
I continued, "Dismembering him and sending the parts separately to Northern District and Platinum Haven Hotel—whose idea was that?"
"Clarence's. The purpose was to make you all feel panicked."
I picked up my tablet and opened the four social news articles Lucas had shown me. "Did you kill these women?"
Albino froze for a second. "No, I didn't."
I frowned instinctively. "Really not you?"
Albino shook his head. "I have no reason to lie."
I agreed to Albino's request and let Bruce stay, then he left.
As for whether Albino could kill Clarence and come back alive—that didn't matter to me.
Over the next few days, Albino sent back no information.
Until the day before I was to leave for Dawnharbor, Clarence made his move.
Near Platinum Haven Hotel, neon lights blurred into fuzzy halos in the white fog. The traffic light at the intersection ahead changed colors, but not a single car moved.
More than twenty vehicles blocked the intersection. On and around the cars were people who wanted to kill me.
Without Albino's tip-off, I never would have imagined Clarence had hidden so many people.
"Isabella, surrender." Clarence's shoulders were tense like a drawn bow. His thick beard covered his face and the scars on it. He aimed his gun at me, his tone harsh. "You've offended someone you shouldn't have."
"Really?" I raised my eyebrows calmly. "You mean Michelle?"
Clarence's expression changed slightly. He didn't answer but made an attack gesture.